Enterprise Explores

In a shocking turn of events that rocked the tech world, last Friday, the 17th of November, the board of directors of OpenAI fired then CEO, and Open AI Founder, Sam Altman. This reportedly followed a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with them, hindering the board’s ability to exercise its responsibilities. Which is...

In 2022, about 29% of graduates had starting salaries below RM1,999 a month and around 40% of degree and diploma holders were underemployed, this according to research conducted by the Rapid Youth Success Entrepreneurship (RYSE) project Given the tougher and more uncertain job market, could the development of entrepreneurial skills and traits in children and younger people be the answer to higher...

Technological innovation has repeatedly impacted the business ecosystem, whether it's the disruption that word processing or emails caused when they were first introduced, or the current rise of AI with platforms like ChatGPT. At the foundation of this is the support of R&D initiatives, the development of IP, and of course its monesation and commercialisation. With that in mind, it is importan...

The e-Conomy Southeast Asia (e-Conomy SEA) is a multi-year research programme launched by Google and Temasek in 2016, and Bain & Company joined the programme as lead research partner in 2019. The research leverages Temasek’s insights; Bain’s analysis; Google Trends; primary research, expert interviews, and industry sources to shed light on the digital economy in Southeast Asia. The latest 2023...

Job security and talent retention are perpetual hot topics, but especially so in today's economic landscape. Today, we dive deep into these issues with May Leng Kwok, Regional Head APAC for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, also known as CIPD. If you're an HR leader, an employee looking to advance, or an entrepreneur wanting to understand the talent landscape, you will learn mo...

Softbank-backed WeWork, the co-working firm that was once valued at $47 billion, has been forced to file for bankruptcy. On the back of this, we take a Malaysian lens and explore bankruptcy and insolvency, including what it means for businesses and business owners, how it differs between sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations, support for firms that are financially distressed, and th...

Last month during the tabling of Budget 2024, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that Visit Malaysia Year will be set for 2026, instead of the initially scheduled 2025. The Prime Minister said that the government has targeted 26.1 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2026 with domestic spending of RM97.6mil. Notably, the government has allocated RM350mil to boost tourism promotions a...

In this day and age, the hustle culture is very common among enterprises of all levels. Over the years, it has become a pervasive part of modern life, with entrepreneurs pushing themselves to the limit to succeed in their business ventures. This relentless pursuit of productivity and success can have serious negative effects on mental health. Today on Enterprise Biz Bytes, we unpack whether the hu...

Elon Musk's first AI product, Grok; Rumours may be true that X has started rolling out initiatives to sell disused usernames; OpenAI reveals several new upgrades; Polish company appoints humanoid robot as its "experimental CEO."; Takeaways from UK’s AI safety summit; Beetles resurrected via use of AI; AI fueled fake pornographic pictures and videos; And study suggests that highly paid professional...

In an era marked by increasing environmental concerns and a growing awareness of our planet's finite resources, the fields of design and architecture are undergoing a profound transformation. Today, we delve into the significance of sustainability in design and architecture with Lillian Tay, the Vice President of VERITAS Design Group, exploring its key principles, benefits, and the role it plays i...

Lazada Malaysia’s LazMall Gala is an annual event to honour and recognise the outstanding achievements of the LazMall brand partners and celebrate the milestones achieved together with its strategic business partners. Lazada is committed to further develop the eCommerce ecosystem in Malaysia and contribute towards accelerating the digital economy across the region. It continues to empower internat...

Recently a local pharmacy has received plenty of backlash from netizens on its controversial ad. We have seen such controversial ads happen before, with Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi ad and Watsons Malaysia's "Legenda Cun Raya" campaign, which were also both criticised and labelled as racist by netizens when they were released back in 2017. These ads raise eyebrows, stir emotions, and even spark outrage....

From the amount of incentives provided by the government for businesses to embrace ESG, to the possibility of non-ESG complying businesses having difficulty to receive funding. Businesses are finding more and more reasons to adopt ESG into their practices. But how can they implement ESG in a way that ensures growth and success? We’ll be looking at how ESG goes hand in hand with business growth and...

ChatGPT chatbot can now browse the internet to provide users with up-to-date information; Meta is launching a subscription service for Facebook and Instagram in Europe; AI regulation; Abridge is revolutionising medical record entry for doctors; Google is introducing AI-powered features in a series of updates to Google Maps; How to identify a high EQ boss, according to science; New phishing scam ha...

A recent report titled “How Asia Buys and Pays 2023: Tapping into Asia’s Regional Commerce Opportunities,” states that Southeast Asia is anticipating a 100% expansion in its e-commerce market over the next five years. This is driven by accelerated digital payments growth, led by Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), e-wallets , domestic payments, and credit cards. So, today on Enterprise Biz Bytes, we look in...

On the back of the International Day of Care and Support, today we look at the “care work industry”. Described as a part of the adult social care industry, it includes various jobs such as disability, elderly, mental health, rehabilitation, and home care assistance. We explore the potential and the workforce-readiness of this industry in Malaysia with the help of Lim Geng Yan, Founder of Jasper He...

Between Budget 2024, the newly announced ESG Jumpstart portal for SMEs, the Simplified ESG Disclosure Guide for SMEs released last week, and the overall larger push towards ESG standards and adoption by various Malaysian bodies, the landscape can look quite complex for businesses. To help make clearer the ESG path and its impact on businesses, we speak to Margie Ong, the CEO of Thoughts In Gear. S...

Ad-free version of X’s premium subscription coming soon, says Musk; Research reveals AI model’s lack of transparency; Your startup’s success, told by your personality type; Ginkgo Bioworks’ collaboration with Google Cloud to explore the potential of generative AI in biotech; TikTok Music launched in Singapore; TikTok and Disney partnership in honour of 100-year anniversary; Facial recognition-base...

Last month, 500 Global announced the successful close of US$143 million (RM668.2 million) for its largest Southeast Asian early-stage fund to date, 500 Southeast Asia III (500 SEA III), as well as its growth investment vehicle for Southeast Asia. 500 Global also recently released their ‘500 Global Rise Report,’ which highlights four narratives on the next decade of global technology to keep an eye...

On this episode of Enterprise Biz Bytes, we’ll be looking into what the budget has in store for Malaysia’s arts and festivals sector with the help of Rizal Kamal, President of Arts, Live Festival and Events Association (ALIFE). We will be looking into: The RM160 million funding received to grow the live performance industry; Reduction in entertainment duties for international and local acts; And t...

On this episode of Enterprise Biz Bytes, you will learn whether Budget 2024 hits the mark for the startup ecosystem and potential areas of concern with Dr. Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Senior Partner & Co-Founder at ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator. Among other things, we explore: Concerns and clarity needed from the proposed 10% Capital Gains Tax for the startup ecosystem; Tax incentives for individual...

In our continuing coverage of Budget 2024 and key areas relevant to businesses, SMEs and startups, on this episode of Biz Bytes we discuss the various initiatives that businesses and SMEs can potentially tap on to grow, as well as concerns and gaps from the Budget, such as the SST increase. Joining us for this conversation were Sofia Leong Abdullah, Council Member, Director of Diplomacy and Foreig...

Malaysia’s national Budget 2024 was unveiled on Friday, 13 October 2023, by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim with a total allocation of RM393.8 billion. Today, in our continuing coverage of the Budget 2024 announcements, we take a deep dive into what the budget has in store for digitalisation initiatives with a focus on tools and fundings that may support SMEs and busin...

Malaysia’s national Budget 2024 was unveiled on Friday, 13 October 2023, by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim with a total allocation of RM393.8 billion. For businesses, some notable points include a Capital gains tax on the disposal of non-listed local companies’ shares at a rate of 10%, SST to be increased from 6% to 8%, tax incentives to attract investments in the for...

Ahead of the tabling of Budget 2024, we explore what SMEs want to see in the upcoming budget. We hear from Datuk William Ng, National President of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association Malaysia (SAMENTA), on tax cuts, moving away from grants to low-cost financing, ESG and digitalisation support initiatives, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.